Last week I received a troubleshooting call for a John Deere yield monitor. The monitor (original brown box) reported an error message about the can bus system. Running the page layout setup did temporarily stop the flashing and beeping warning message but it would eventually start up again. The grower had traded combines this year and the monitor, receiver and new wiring harness had been added to the new combine. The can bus was searching for another system and did not recognize the new yield monitor. Updating the monitor and receiver to the most recent firmware and then reprogramming the system for harvest doc applications fixed the problem. Apparently this is a common issue when switching from the original brown box monitor to the GS2 monitor or vice versa.

The 2009 Precision Ag and Field Crops Conference, set for December 8th at the Wind Creek Hotel in Atmore, Alabama, promises to offer a wide variety of information on precision agriculture (PA) technologies. The conference program will feature sessions on CORS RTK technology, sensor-based variable-rate applications for cotton, and economics of variable-rate applications. Speakers include John Fulton (Auburn University), Randy Taylor (Oklahoma State University) and Terry Griffin (University of Arkansas). The conference will also feature a farmer panel on PA economics, a livestock track on utilizing PA for livestock and forage production, equipment demonstrations and agriculture exhibitors. Detailed information and pre-registration for the conference is available at http://www.aces.edu/anr/precisionag/2009PrecisionAgConference.php

With everyone gearing up for the 2010 growing season, one task to complete before spring work kicks into high gear is making sure all your data cards have been downloaded and all data has been backed-up. The following is a list of tasks to consider completing before spring time rolls around:

Make sure all data cards have been downloaded for the 2009 season to your desktop or laptop computer.

Ag software packages provide a backup feature, so take the time to backup all data.

Consider placing a copy (CD, external hard-drive, etc.) of this backup file(s) in a safe place.

Clean off unneeded data to ensure sufficient space for the upcoming 2010 season.

Upload operation, farm and field names to your card especially if you will managing new crop land in 2010. You may also want to update equipment, operator, and product lists at the same time. Having this information pre-loaded on your card will greatly reduce in-field setup time on controller or monitors versus having to type this information in once you enter a field or trying to remember for future input.

Power up your controller, monitor, or other technology with the card inserted to make sure it is able to recognize the card and read all data.

With spring fast approaching, now is a good time to ensure you have updated all your equipment to the latest firmware versions. Over the winter months, many technology and equipment manufacturers have posted firmware updates. Some may charge for these updates but others do not. So we suggest you review all your equipment to determine 1) if you can and 2) what it will take to update it. Running current firmware versions allows you to maximize the benefits of the equipment. Here is a list of possible items that may require updates:

GPS receiver

Display or Monitor

Controller

Mobile field software

Desktop software

Please consult your dealer or manufacturer websites to determine whether any updates exists and to address questions. Manufacturers do a good job of posting information about updates online plus provide the necessary steps to successfully complete updates.

1. Keep All Data – Even if you are not planning to use the data during the current growing season it is probable that at some point you will.

2. An Ag GIS software package will enable you to display and work with your data. When selecting a precision ag GIS software package, determine what your current needs are and what your future goals for using precision agriculture are. Make sure the software is compatible with the equipment you are using or may be purchasing. Also consider what user support options are available with your software and whether your program can be upgraded in the future.

3. When purchasing a computer that will be used to manage your precision ag data, make sure the computer’s operating system and memory requirements are compatible for the precision ag software package you choose to use.

4. Develop a file system on your computer that allows you to easily locate your data. This is especially important if there are several individuals who access the data. Use folders and subfolders to group data by years, crops, etc.

5. Frequently back up your data within your software and perform regular backups of your computer. It is a good idea to also store a copy of your data on a CD or other external source and keep the copy in a secure place. There are also several online data storage options available.

There are a number of farmers in Alabama who are utilizing variable rate seeding for the first time this year. The key components to variable rate seeding are: hydraulic drives on planter, controller that can relay the prescription map to the hydraulic drives, and GPS that provides location information to the controller, which allows the controller to send the proper rates for each location to the hydraulic drives.

There are several different approaches for generating variable-rate seeding maps. For those farmers utilizing irrigation, a prescription map could simply tell the planter to apply a different rate of seed under the irrigation (than outside the water). For those farmers with accurate elevation data (typically collected with a RTK-level GPS), prescriptions can be based on elevation. Soil maps are available for most counties in Alabama and can be used to generate seeding maps. (Please note that the date of the soil surveys varies from county to county, and that there are different levels of accuracies for the surveys.) Another promising option is to use yield data as the basis for the prescription maps. The PA Team recommends using multiple years of yield data; however, one year’s worth of data could also be combined with some of the previously mentioned options. Farmer knowledge of the field is a key component of any prescription map.

To determine the optimal seeding rates for each area within a field, consider planting strips of varying rates. For example, if your field was divided into high, average and low yielding areas, the corresponding seeding rates for those areas could be 29K, 27K and 25K (respectively). Within each of those areas you could plant a test strip of the other rates.Please make sure that the width of your seeding test strip is at least as wide as your harvester width. At harvest, the seeding map can be overlaid on a yield map. Yields for each of the three rates can be compared to determine if the optimal rate was used. The following year’s seeding maps can then be adjusted based on the yield data.

If you are interested in pursuing variable rate seeding for next year, now is a great time to go ahead and manually put in some strips of different seeding rates to evaluate performance on your farm. A yield monitor is a key component to evaluating the success of your variable rate seeding.

Ever wonder what GNSS, CMR or CORS stands for? Or what a datum or repeater really is? The world of GPS and Precision Agriculture often abounds with confusing terminology and acronyms, especially for those who don’t live there. A new publication is available on the Alabama Precision Ag website defining common GPS/GNSS (see what I mean?) terms, acronyms and components. Check out the new publication GPS/GNSS Related Terminology at http://www.aces.edu/anr/precisionag/GPS.php.

The Precision Ag team has received several phone call this spring about purchasing Guidance Systems and other Precision Ag Technologies such as Variable-Rate Technologies. Typically, a GPS or GNSS receiver is a key component in order to make these technologies function. The term GNSS is relatively new but simply refers to the ability of a GPS/GNSS receiver to utilize multiple satellite-based navigation systems over just the US GPS system. Currently, the Russian GLONASS system is the only other satellite navigation system in operation with the European Galileo and others possibly online in the future. The main benefit of GNSS receivers over GPS-only is the increased number of satellite available for position calculations by the receiver. In return, reliability is increased in areas where GPS-only receivers cannot operate or provide poor accuracy. Further, there exist periods of time during the day that GPS-only satellite counts or availability can be below the required minimum for position calculations due to the operating environment.

Testing here at Auburn University has observed these GNSS benefits especially when operating around tree lines or in rolling terrain. Most GPS and guidance manufacturers offer GNSS solutions which should be considered during purchase. GNSS technology may cost more over GPS-only but can pay off depending upon your operating environment plus provide the most current capabilities.

We recommend considering GNSS receivers when purchasing new Precision Ag technology. They can provide a benefit in agriculture production by increasing reliability through more satellites available under certain operating conditions.

The Alabama Precision Agriculture Team is sponsoring and participating in the International Conference on Precision Agriculture to be held July 18-21, 2010 in Denver Colorado. Team members will present on various topics including Profitability of RTK and Its Influence on Peanut Production, Adoption and Use of Precision Agriculture Technologies and Proper Implementation of Precision Agricultural Technologies for Conducting On-farm Research. In addition the Alabama Precision Agriculture Program will sponsor an exhibit at the conference featuring current projects and outreach efforts of the program. For further information on presentations provided by team members click on the individual titles below. Visit the Alabama Precision Ag Website at www.AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline.com for current precision ag information and updates.

Today’s farm is not our grandparents’ farm that we commonly picture a working farm to be. Old equipment has been replaced with hi-tech machinery that runs in conjunction with GPS to provide accurate planting, fertilizing, spraying, etc. With the technology rapidly advancing, it is not only important to keep up-to-date with improvements and the newest features, but it is also important to network with other farmers that are using precision agriculture technologies.

The emergence of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and even YouTube now provide opportunities for farmers to stay in touch with each other and the companies that provide precision agriculture technologies and equipment. Farmers now can simply “chat” or “tweet” about problems they might have run into or success stories that might help other farmers. Many equipment and software manufacturers can be found on social networking sites as well. They provide updates on future developments in equipment and useful information for their followers. State cooperative extension systems may also be found on these sites. Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System strive to provide Alabama farmers with the most current information about equipment and methods to aid them in their farming practices. Local field days and training events for precision agriculture equipment are announced so farmers can get hands-on experience with the equipment.

One of the best things about social networking is that it is absolutely free! All of this information comes at no cost to the user. Social networking is proving to be a useful tool for the farmers of tomorrow to stay up-to-date with the best practices for growing their crops and managing their farms. Listed below are just some of the many sites and groups utilizing social networking to connect with today’s famers.

While precision ag technologies can provide significant farm savings, correct use and implementation can have a tremendous impact on the level of savings achieved. Reducing off-rate errors and using more efficient operating conditions are important considerations in achieving the maximum benefits of precision technology. Dr. John Fulton, associate professor and Extension specialist at Auburn University, discusses considerations and limitations to think about when utilizing precision technologies in the following podcast from Precision Pays: http://precisionpays.com/2010/08/precision-pays-sometimes-precision-is-not-that-precise/

With fall harvest well on its way, many farmers are using their yield monitor to collect valuable crop performance information which can be used to support management decisions for subsequent years. While yield monitors or maps can provide beneficial data to make informed farm management decisions, one must ensure they are properly implementing yield monitors so the correct decisions are made. Yield monitors are excellent tools to conduct field-scale research and spatially document yield differences across fields. Yield maps can identify issues within fields where low yields exist, support the implementation of site-specific management, and make comparisons between varieties, seed treatments, and new management practices. However, data needs to be collected over whole fields or several fields in order to obtain a sufficient amount of yield data to make the right decision(s) for your farm.

Caution is extended for those using yield monitors to harvest variety trials or plot-scale studies. While this data can provide useful information and support plot-scale work, yield monitors are not a replacement for weigh wagons which should be used to obtain and compute yields for making comparisons in plots. Variety trials and plot studies are generally too small (100, 300 or even up to 900-ft long) in order for yield monitors to accurately measure the accumulated yield over 1 or 2 passes. The potential errors of yield monitors in these small areas are too high. Therefore, a measured +/- 5 bushel difference might not really exist between treatments being compared. While proper calibration is always recommended for yield monitors and the calibration process indicates only a few percent error, the error in yield data generated will be higher for plot size studies and can actually be in the range of 10% to 20%. For field-scale yield data, these errors will be “averaged” out and the mean yield for a treatment (e.g. variety) can be accurate (1% to 5% error depending upon operating conditions).

As an example, lets say a yield monitor has an actual error of 5%. If yields are running around 150 bu/ac for the plots, then a 7.5 bu/ac error exists, Therefore, greater than a 7.5 bu/ac difference must be measured before a variance can be concluded between treatments. Further, if the actual error is 10% or 20%, then a 15 and 30 bu/ac difference, respectively must exist before any substantial conclusions can be drawn saying one treatment is better than the other. In any of these cases, one cannot say that one treatment is better than the other if only a 3 or 5 bu/ac difference was measured; a weigh wagon would be required to indicate whether such a few bushel difference.

Remember, while yield monitors can provide useful information for small-scale studies, they are not a replacement for weigh wagons. Solely relying on yield monitors for providing the necessary performance data at this scale, can lead to incorrectly analyzed yield differences and ultimately the wrong conclusion or management decisions being made. Yield monitors are excellent tools to support management decisions but must be used properly.

With the increasing interest and adoption of precision ag (PA) technologies, “How do I get started in precision agriculture?” is one of the most often asked questions from producers. Consider the following guidelines when adopting PA technology:

1) Have a clear objective in mind with adopting either PA technology and/or practices. Also consider future plans and whether the equipment can be upgraded to perform additional applications or work with additional equipment.

2) Identify the training, support and service tools that are available for your product. Service for your PA equipment is one of the most important things to consider when making your purchase.

3) Buy products that are compatible with multiple operations.

4) Consider whether the technology easy to move between farm equipment and if there will be additional harnesses, cables or equipment needed.

5) Is the technology compatible with your current and/or future equipment?

6) Will you have the ability to record and easily transfer data?

7) Keep all data even if you are not currently utilizing it in your farm management program. Data collected now can often be used in the future.

8) Understand the learning and installation time requirement of PA systems and determine a timeline for implementation.

9) Determine the level of GPS accuracy and repeatability required for your operation. Different levels of GPS correction are more appropriately suited to specific farming practices.

Overall there is no right or wrong approach to PA technology. Choose the technology/equipment that works best for your operation and consider taking it slow and in steps. On-farm studies to evaluate PA practices can be helpful in determining what will provide the best return for your operation. Finally, keep in mind that it can take time to fully start to experience savings or increased profit from precision agriculture. For more detailed information on this topic, see the ACES Timely Information Sheet, Considerations for Adopting and Implementing Precision Agriculture Technologies or visit www.AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline.com.

When trying to learn a new system or perform certain tasks while not having sufficient time to read an entire user’s manual, it’s valuable to have a good source of information to quickly step you through startup and operational procedures. Realizing this need, the Alabama Precision Ag team has developed and assembled some intuitive, step-by-step help guides on various agricultural, surveying and mapping systems. John Deere, Garmin, Trimble, FarmWorks, TeeJet, and Topcon are among the manufacturers of technology and software package help guides featured in this section of the Alabama Precision Ag website. Navigating to this helpful page of Quick Guides is easy, just click here or go to www.alabamaprecisionagonline.com, click Other Resources then Help Guides.

The Alabama Precsion Ag team has developed a visual aid to illustrate GPS/GNSS drift. The display is a “to scale” model that allows producers to grasp the impact GPS/GNSS drift can have on an agricultural operation. If you have dropped by the Alabama Precision Ag team’s booth at a conference or field day this year, you have probably had an opportunity to see the display. We have received many inquiries about the display and requests for additional information. There is a new Timely Information sheet on this topic posted on our website, Explanation of GPS/GNSS Drift. Hopefully this blog and Timely Information sheet will answer questions you may have concerning the display or GPS/GNSS drift. If not, please contact a team member for additional information. Below is a description of each part of the display as well as its significance.

Banner: The first paragraph of the banner references a scenario of a producer harvesting peanuts. His tractor is off the target path and the error is attributed to GPS/GNSS drift. Definitions of GPS/GNSS drift and pass-to-pass accuracy allow the spectator to understand why the manufacturer’s advertised accuracy (typically pass-to-pass) may not be experienced in the field. Next, solutions to GPS/GNSS drift are given with upgrading to a lower drift correction (SF 2 or OmniSTAR), or ultimately RTK, recommended. The table illustrated in the banner quantifies pass-to-pass accuracy and drift ranges for four correction services according to Auburn University research. Finally, the last paragraph gives insight into the importance of choosing the appropriate correction service for a particular operation.

Carpet: At the top of the banner, there is a tractor moving across a field. Behind the tractor are four differently colored intervals that come toward the spectator and out of the banner onto the carpet. These colored intervals are “to scale” representations of GPS/GNSS drift or year-to-year accuracy of four correction services. Blue represents WAAS, red represents a sub-meter service, yellow represents a decimeter level service, and green represents RTK level correction. It is evident in figure 1 (left) what a substantialimpact GPS/GNSS drift can potentially have on field utilization efficiency. Note: these cotton rows are planted on 40 inch centers. Standing on this carpet, the spectator can truly appreciate the year-to-year accuracies of these correction services. See figure 2 (below) for a schematic of the full display.

Everyone on the Alabama Precision Ag team wants to thank those who attended the Wiregrass Cotton Expo last Friday. We enjoyed talking to all of you who stopped by our booth! We want say a special thank you to those who participated in our precision agriculture survey. This will help us better address your interests and needs for the future. For those who were not able to attend, you are welcome to contact us with any questions that you might have about precision agriculture. As always, just let us know if we can help you in any way!

In 2011, Mosiac released a new App called “Nutrient Removal” for both the iOS and Android. This application provides nutrient removal rates for a wide variety of crops and in some cases by crop yield. It is a good resource since it provides this information right at your finger tips. It comes in handy when discussing fertilizer recommendations and crop management. Users can save information of specific interest to their device in case internet access is not available. This tool is also helpful when educating others about site-specific management of nutrients and what it could mean to their operation. When viewing yield maps and other spatial layers, the app can be used during discussions to compare strategies plus in the generation of Rx maps based on crop removal. This free app is available through the App Store, Android Market or visit http://www.back-to-basics.net/nutrientremoval/.

Nutrient use-efficiency is a key for future success at the farm. Precision Ag provides a tool for farmers to fine-tune their nutrient management and enhance stewardship. For more information, visit www.AlabamaPrecisionAgOnline.com.

We know the adoption of precision ag continues to increase across the US. Here in Alabama, technology and site-specific management exceeds national averages reported by the USDA.

In 2009 and 2010, the Alabama Precision Ag Team conducted surveys around the state asking farmers their adoption of many available technologies. Data was collected during winter crop production meetings coordinated by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). At that time, adoption in central Alabama was low in comparison to other regions. Therefore, the team has been working to help farmers understand the benefits of technology and how to best implement on their operations in this region. In February of 2013, we were able to repeat the same survey in order to assess how adoption had changed after 3 years collecting data at these same winter meetings.

Results from the 2013 survey and comparison to the 2010 data has been reported in a Timely Information Publication which can be viewed by clickinghere. Of interest, there was a significant increase in Precision Soil Sampling and associated use of Variable-Rate Technology.& Autoguidance and especially RTK increased during this period. A surprise was that yield monitoring jumped from 16% in 2010 up to 48% in 2013. This trend was encouraging as we enter the data management era. Finally, 96% of the farmers have access to high speed internet with 81% requesting more precision ag education.

Big data or data management in agriculture continues to be a hot topic. The 2013 InfoAg Conference highlighted not only how data management is growing in agriculture through the tradeshow and presentations but that industry partnerships will be a key to success of this data evolution. One company cannot provide the one-stop shop as it relates to ag data management since this service is complex. Farmers, ag retailers, machinery companies and other ag businesses all require different data streams and information to provide feedback on their business or to their customers. Further, the analytics being developed to analyze and gleam valuable information (e.g. “knowledge”) must address agronomic, machinery, economics and other areas. Therefore, the idea of partnerships will allow the data management aspect of Precision Ag to develop and help the agricultural community in a positive way. Our PrecisionAg team here in Alabama has recognized that their remains barriers to data management and especially the sharing of data with others while maintaining privacy. However, the ag industry is moving forward and starting to assemble pieces of the puzzle to allow data sharing and enhance the ability to draw valuable knowledge and help farmers maintain profitability.

My view is that a farmer will need to rely on a machinery dealership to help move data on and off or between machines while consultants and ag retailers provide the agronomic analysis and Rx map generation at the regional level. Technology companies have already invested and providing solutions to learn more about how their products such as seed technology perform on a regional or site-specific basis. They can learn from this information in order to improve their offering to an individual farmer. There are other companies which will play a critical role. In return, everyone must be working together or partnering in order to best serve the farmer.

I was amazed at the 2013 InfoAg Conference the number of company exhibits in which partnerships were being visibly publicized. These partnerships have also been integrated into exhibits at the various fall farm shows around the US. I feel this is a positive sign for farmers and the ag community as the data evolution matures. Still plenty of work for everyone to address farmer concerns but the discussions and partnerships between companies is positive.